Monday, February 20, 2012

The Vegetable Of The Week - Bell (Sweet) Pepper

Vegetable Information:

Bell pepper or sweet pepper is the most popular of the chili peppers in the Capsicum annum family. It is a fruit pod of small perennial shrub in the nightshade or solanaceae family, of the genus, capsicum. Scientific name: Capsicum annum. - Nutrition & You

Peppers are native to Mexico, Central America and northern South America. Pepper seeds were later carried to Spain in 1493 and from there spread to other European, African and Asian countries. Today, China is the world's largest pepper producer in the world, followed by Mexico. Bell peppers are botanically fruits, but are generally considered in culinary contexts to be vegetables. - History of Peppers

The lack of capsaicin in bell peppers is due to a recessive form of a gene that eliminates capsaicin and, consequently, the "hot" taste usually associated with the rest of the Capsicum genus. - Worlds Healthiest Foods

Vitamin A or retinol is a fat soluble vitamin, which plays an important role in ensuring healthy eyes and bone development. Vitamin A deficiency is the most important cause of blindness among children. Vitamin A can prevent night blindness and dry eye and ensure clear vision.

Vitamin A helps to cut down excess sebum production in the skin thereby reducing the risks of acne. It also reinforces the protective tissue of the skin thereby enhancing the overall health and vitality of the skin surface. Vitamin A is essential for the proper maintenance of the skin tissues and mucous membranes. It flushes out the toxins of your body and cleanses the system by virtue of its antioxidant properties.

Vitamin A prevents the formation of urinary calculi due to the formation of calcium phosphate. It also helps to keep the lining of the urinary tract in shape thereby reducing the recurring chances of stones. - Organic Facts